- Jun 22
German pension commission proposes raising retirement age and ending 'Rente mit 63'
A government-appointed commission has recommended raising the retirement age in line with life expectancy and scrapping early retirement without deductions after 45 years of contributions, as part of a package of over 30 proposals to be handed to Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday.
- Jun 22
Germany's pension commission hands over 33 proposals as Merz and Bas pledge full adoption
Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Labour Minister Bärbel Bas on Tuesday committed to implementing all 33 recommendations of the pensions commission in their entirety, calling the package a 'Gesamtkunstwerk' that can only work as a whole.
- May 27
German Economic Advisers Slash 2026 Growth Outlook to 0.5%, Warn Social Charges Could Hit 50% of Wages
The Council of Economic Experts cut its GDP forecast to 0.5% for 2026, blaming the Iran War’s surge in energy prices, and warned that social security contributions could reach 50% of income by 2040 without deep reforms.
